I wrapped her in my arms and gave her a hug. “She will, Emma. You did the right thing. Give it time.”
Emma closed her eyes and leaned against me as people moved around us. I held her for a long moment, until her breaths calmed. I didn’t pull apart from her until I felt a tap on my shoulder.
“Hey,” Theo said. There were dark bags under his eyes, and lines spanned his face. He looked like he’d been up all night.
“Are you okay?” Emma asked softly.
“She doesn’t believe me,” Theo said hollowly. His voice sounded like one of a ghost. “I waited too long.”
“We know,” I said, and I grasped his shoulder. “But she will believe you eventually. You can’t give up on your mate just yet.”
Theo stared at the floor, and Emma said, “Well, at least you got her treatment, right? So she can recover from her disorder.”
Theo’s tone remained grave. “I tried. But she doesn’t want to get help.”
“What?” Emma stammered. “Did you tell the company?”
“She’s over age. I can’t make her get help if she doesn’t want it,” Theo said helplessly. “And at the ballet company, having an eating disorder is almost a sign of commitment to your craft. She’s practically been praised for her devotion. That ass she’s with— the director of the company, Igor— he thinks it’s fine.”
“That’s just sick,” Emma spat.
Theo shrugged. “Hey, it’s ballet. You know how it is.”
“What about her parents?” I asked.
Theo frowned deeper, if that was possible. “Her father isn’t around much these days. I’ve told her mother, but... being a former prima ballerina herself, she doesn’t see anything wrong with it.”
My stomach churned. I was an athlete as well, and I knew you had to make sacrifices for your sport, but this was going too far. Her own mother wouldn’t put an end to this? It was beyond cruel.
Emma leaned into me. In a helpless voice, she whispered, “What are we going to do?”
“We’ll be here for her,” I said. “Odette needs support at a time like this. She has to know we’re not giving up on her.”
Theo nodded. “I feel like I ruined everything.”
“Don’t despair. You still have a chance,” I insisted.
Theo didn’t say anything more, just slunk off. Disappointment grew within me for my friend. I knew how much he cherished Odette, despite doing his best to hide his feelings. Now it’d blown up in his face.
Emma entwined her fingers in mine. “This is my fault.”
“Odette’s secret needed to come out,” I said. “In time, she’ll have to face the light.”
I squeezed Emma’s hand. “I know it hasn’t been the greatest night. But I think it’s best for now if we take your mind off it. I did promise to make up for my poor behavior from yesterday.”
“You don’t have to. I said I didn’t care about that,” she protested.
“But I do. And you deserve to be treated like a princess.” I guided Emma outside, under the glow of the moon. I took a blindfold out of my pocket and handed it to her. “Put this on. It’s time for your surprise.”
Chapter Twelve
Emma
Ethan guided me carefully, as the blindfold made it impossible to see anything. I had no idea where we were going, but I felt the stone paths of campus beneath my feet become cobblestone as we ventured into the streets of Dolinska.
“Ethan Nowak, where are you taking me?” I teased.
“It’s a surprise.” He called for a carriage. Ethan lifted me in, and I leaned against him as the carriage jolted down the street. He put his arm around me, and I inhaled his fresh, wolfish scent. Gods, he smelled so good. He smelled like home.
